Goldberg, Reiner
Goldberg, Reiner
Goldberg, Reiner, noted German tenor; b. Crostau, Oct. 17, 1939. He was a student of Arno Schellenberg at the Dresden Hochschule für Musik. In 1966 he began his career in Radebeul, and that same year made his Dresden debut as Luigi in II Tabarro. In 1973 he became a member of the Dresden State Opera, and in 1977 of the (East) Berlin State Opera; he toured with both companies in Europe and abroad. In 1982 he made his debut at London’s Covent Garden as Walther von Stolzing, in Paris as Midas in a concert perf. of Die Liebe der Danae, at the Salzburg Easter Festival as Erik, and at the Salzburg Summer Festival as Florestan. He also sang Parsifal on the soundtrack for the Syberberg film version of Wagner’s opera. In 1983 he made his N.Y. debut as Guntram in a concert perf. of Strauss’ opera. He sang for the first time at Milan’s La Scala as Tannhäuser in 1984. In 1987 he first appeared at the Bayreuth Festival as Walther von Stolzing. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut in N.Y. on Jan. 27, 1992, as Florestan. As one of the leading Heldentenors of his day, Goldberg won considerable distinction for his portrayals of Siegmund, Tannhäuser, Siegfried, Erik, and Parsifal. His versatile repertoire also included Bacchus, Max, Hermann in The Queen of Spades, Faust, the Drum Major in Wozzeck, and Sergei in Lady Macbeth of the District of Mtzensk.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire